Portable and adjustable fence for manholes, openings and the like



April 13, 1965, M. MILLER 3,177,925

PORTABLE AND ADJUSTABLE FENCE FOR MANHOLES, OPENINGS AND THE LIKE Filed June 13, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet l jr' INVENTOR.

' MFC'US NIL-55 imam April 13, 1965 MlLLER 3,177,925

PORTABLE AND ADJUSTABLE FENCE FOR v MANHOLES, OPENINGS AND THE LIKE Filed June 13, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q N \n INVENTOR.

N mzcw' 1 12 35/52 5y M. MILLER PORTABLE AND ADJUSTABLE FENCE FOR MANHOLES, OPENINGS AND THE LIKE April 13, 1965 Flled June 13 1962 INVENTOR .llllllll/l/ll/ 7/4 J United States Patent 3,177,925 PORTABLE AND ADJUSTABLE FENCE FOR MAN- HQLES, GPENMGS AND TIE LIKE Marcus Miller, 11-21 Tabor Road, Morris Plains, NJ. Filed June 13, 1962, Ser. No. 202,182 3 Claims. (Q1. 160-114) This invention relates to fences and particularly to portable fences that are expansible for use and collapsible when being transported.

Fences made in accordance with the invention are particularly adapted for use with street repairs, open man holes and the like. Such portable fence may be considered as guards, gates and the like in accordance with the specific application thereof. Devices of this type having expansible lazy tongs bodies are not new in the art and may be found in US. Patent 417,898 issued December 24, 1889, to A. Bataille, U. S. Patent 675,399 issued June 4, 1901, to A. E. McCormack, and U.S. Patent 2,520,664 issued August 29, 1950, to L. W. Turner. However, guards to this time have been limited in application and generally lacking in versatility. As is readily seen, the devices made in accordance with the aforementioned patents must be attached to fixed vertical structure for use.

Inasmuch as the novel device is particularly adapted for use with open manholes and the like, it is well to consider such environment. Normally, gates or fences used for such purposes have a plurality of hinged rigid panels made of pipe lengths or of steel channels. When work is completed, the panels are then folded upon one another forming a relatively large and bulky package to be transported. Where the work area includes two or three manholes in a nest, a plurality of such rigid panel gates are used, each individually positioned. Unde such conditions, two or more sides may be required to extend along one side of the work area. When this occurs, the panels are only slightly offset angularly from one another and such fence is subject to toppling from slight forces, and times even the wind.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a collapsible portable fence which may extend along a single plane that is not subject to toppling.

Another object of this invention is to provide a portable fence which is collapsible to a relatively small package for storage.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fence of the above type which may be used with other like fences all series connected to one another.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lazy tongs type fence disposable along one plane for use that may be bent to extend along intersecting planes.

And another object of this invention is to provide a lazy tonge type fence which is collapsible and folded in the collapsed condition for storage.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawings where- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a fence made in accordance with the invention that is extended along two planes adjacent an open manhole,

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the novel fence of FIGURE 1 that is extended along a single plane,

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the fence of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a fitting of the novel gate,

FIGURE 5 is similar to FIGURE 2 with the novel gate in collapsed condition,

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation of the novel gate as shown in FIGURE 5,

3,177,925 Patented Apr. 13, 1965 FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 6, and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of the novel fence in collapsed and folded condition taken along line 88 of FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, a manhole cover C is removed from an manhole M by a tool H. A novel fence made in accordance with the invention is expanded. and bent to form an L-shaped' guard around the manhole M with an opening for entrance into and exit out of the Work area. The novel fence is shown in a preferred form having a divided body form consisting of two lazy tongs units 10 and 11 each having a plurality of bars 15 interconnected by pivots at their ends and centers.

A pivot bar 14 has two pairs of ears 16 slidable thereon, each being pivotally connected to a free end of inner adjacent terminal bars 15. Thus, units 10 and 11 are pivotally interconnected in end to end relationship by pivot bar 14 which acts as a ground support therefor. At the outer or free ends of units 10 and 11 are leg assemblies or stanchions 12 and 13, respectively. To facilitate expanding and collapsing the novel fence, bars 15 connected to the pair of ears 16 at the lower portion of pivot bar 14 extend past their upper pivot connections to provide handle portions 17. It should be readily seen that by spreading the handle portions 17 from one another, stanchions 12 and 13 are moved away from the pivot bar 14 to extend the fence. Conversely, when the handle portions 17 are drawn together, the stanchions 12 and 13 are moved toward each other to collapse the fence.

Stanchions or leg assemblies 12 and 13 are identical to each other so corresponding parts of both assemblies are identified by the same number. Accordingly, only assembly 12 will be described in detail.

The stanchion 12 has a vertical body plate 20 (see FIG. 4) with a pair of spaced pivot holes 21 and 22, a pair of spaced parallel flanges 23 and 24'extendin'g horizontally on one side thereof, and a vertical car 29 extending from the side opposite the flanges. The ear 29 of stanchion 12 is pivotally connected to the upper free end of a terminal bar 15 of body portion 10 While ear 29 of stanchion 13 is similarly connected to body portion 11. Flange 23 has a pair of spaced holes 25 and 27 that are axially alined with corresponding holes 26 and 28, respectively, in flange 24. The :holes in flanges 23 and 24 may be used for many purposes.

As examples, although not shown, canopy legs, sign staffs, warning light supports and/ or retaining means may be inserted into alined pairs of holes 25 and 26 and/or 27 and 28. The ends of a connecting block may be received between flanges 23 and 24 of two stanchions 12 and/or 13 with drop pins extending therethrough and through the flanges to interconnect to such novel fences. Hooked ends of a bar extending the length of the fence may be retained similarly to such connecting blocks to rigidize a fence.

A pair of legs 30 and 31 are pivotally connected to plate 20 by pins or rivets disposed in pivot holes 22 and 21, respectively. Each of the legs 30 and 31 has a plate 32 and 33, respectively, with respective arcuate slots 34 and 35. Plates 32 and 33 overlap so slots 34 and 35 cross one another. A rod or tube 36 is connected at its upper end by a rivet 3611 that extends through slots in the tops of plates 32 and 33, and by a bolt 37 that extends therethrough and through the slots 34 and 35. A winged nut 38 is threaded on the bolt 37 to clamp and lock legs 31) and 31, and tube 36 in predetermined positions. A sleeve 39 is slidably disposed on rod or tube 36, and is pivotally connected to a bottom free end of a terminal rod 15, while a chain 40 with a hook at one end is connected to one 3' 1 of the legs 30 or 31 of one of the stanchions 12 or 13, in this instance as an example to leg 31 of stanchion 13.

To use the novel fence when stored in the collapsed and folded position as in FIGURE 8, the chain 40 is unhooked from itself and the lazy tongs units and 11 are unfolded from one another. Two nuts 38 are loosened and legs 30 and 31 of each stanchion 12 and 13 are spread. Nuts 38 are then rotated to their locked position. Handles 17 are spread from one another to extend the lazy tongs" units 10 and 11. Stanchions 12 and 13 are then positioned as desired.

To store the novel gate, handles 17 are moved toward one another to collapse lazy tongs units 10 and 11. Nuts 38 are loosened and legs 30 and 31 are folded together. Nuts 38 are tightened and stanchions 12 and 13 are folded together. Chain 40 is wrapped around the fence and hooked.

While the construction and arrangement of the improved portable and adjustable fence for manholes, openings and the like, is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modification and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A portable fence comprising a pair of extensible and collapsible lazy tongs units each having crossed and pivoted bars at its respective ends with said units arranged in end to end relationship, an ear element pivotally secured to thefree end of each terminal bar located at the adjacent inner ends of said units to provide an upper and lower pair, the ear elements of each pair engaging each other in overlapping relationship, a vertical pivot bar extending through said upper and lower pairs of ear elements and serving as a ground support for the adjacent ends of said units, a like stanchion at the outer end of each unit, each stanchion comprising a bracket structure, a pair of legs pivotally connected at their upper ends to said bracket structure, a plate element secured to the upper end portion of each leg with one plate element overlapping the other, adjustable locking means for securing said plate elements together whereby to hold said legs in selected spaced apart relationship or in collapsed position, a verti- ,4 cal rod connected at its upper end by said locking means to said plate elements, said locking means providing a support for said vertical rod for maintaining the same vertical irrespective of the spaced apart relationship of the legs, pivot means connecting the free upper end of a terminal bar at the outer end of a unit to said bracket structure, a

sleeve slidably positioned on the lower end of said vertical rod and pivot means connecting the free lower end of a terminal bar at said outer end of a unit to said sleeve.

2. The portable fence of claim 1, wherein said bracket structure comprises a vertical plate extending transverse to the plane of its associated lazy tongs unit, a rearwardly directed ear extending from the lower end of said plate to which the free upper end of said terminal bar at the outer end of said unit is attached by said pivot connecting means, and a pair of horizontal parallel flanges at the upper end of said plate extending forwardly therefrom, said legs being pivotally connected to said vertical plate of said bracket structure with the upper ends of said legs disposed directly beneath the lowermost of said horizontal flanges, said horizontal flanges serving as an attachment support.

3. The portable fence of claim 2, wherein the terminal bars at the adjacent inner ends of said unit connected at their lower ends to the lower pair of cars on said ground support pivot bars are extended at their upper ends to provide handle portions to facilitate expanding and collapsing of said fence.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 475,056 Hall May 17, 1892 854,392 Wells May 21, 1907 1,182,110 Sinkler May 9, 1916 1,584,938 Higbee May 18, 1926 2,892,492 Jackoboice June 30, 1959 2,973,933 Howell Mar. 7, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 862,760 Great Britain Mar. 15, 1961 810,761 Germany Aug. 13, 1951 20,956 Sweden June 2, 1906 

1. A PORTABLE FENCE COMPRISING A PAIR OF EXTENSIBLE AND COLLAPSIBLE LAZY TONGS UNITS EACH HAVING CROSSED AND PIVOTED BARS AT ITS RESPECTIVE ENDS WITH SAID UNITS ARRANGED IN END TO END RELATIONSHIP, AN EAR ELEMENT PIVOTALLY SECURED TO THE FREE END OF EACH TERMINAL BAR LOCATED AT THE ADJACENT INNER ENDS OF SAID UNITS TO PROVIDE AN UPPER AND LOWER PAIR, THE EAR ELEMENTS OF EACH PAIR ENGAGING EACH OTHER IN OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP, A VERTICAL PIVOT BAR EXTENDING THROUGH SAID UPPER AND LOWER PAIRS OF EAR ELEMENTS AND SERVING AS A GROUND SUPPORT FOR THE ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID UNITS, A LIKE STANCHION AT THE OUTER END OF EACH UNIT, EACH STANCHION COMPRISING A BRACKET STRUCTURE, A PAIR OF LEGS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THEIR UPPER ENDS TO SAID BRACKET STRUCTURE, A PLATE ELEMENT SECURED TO THE UPPER END PORTION OF EACH LEG WITH ONE PLATE ELEMENT OVERLAPPING THE OTHER, ADJUSTABLE LOCKING MEANS FOR SECURING SAID PLATE ELEMENTS TOGETHER WHEREBY TO HOLD SAID LEGS IN SELECTED SPACED APART RELATIONSHIP OR IN COLLAPSED POSITION, A VERTICAL ROD CONNECTED AT ITS UPPER END BY SAID LOCKING MEANS TO SAID PLATE ELEMENTS, SAID LOCKING MEANS PROVIDING A SUP- 